Filing unemployment weekly claims is important for individuals who are not employed to continue receiving benefits. This documentation provides verification that you were unemployed for the week during which you are claiming benefits, and allows you to continue receiving benefits until you are gainfully employed or otherwise become ineligible to do so. While the process varies somewhat from state to state, filing unemployment weekly claims is largely similar no matter where you live.
Why is Filing Unemployment Weekly Claims Important?
Unemployment affects all areas of American society. Individuals who wish to pursue employment but cannot seem to find a job are encouraged to seek benefits to help keep themselves afloat until they are once again employed. In most states, individuals who have been laid off will usually be eligible for unemployment benefits, and those who voluntarily quit their job are often eligible as well.
Once you begin receiving unemployment benefits, you are required to file your weekly claim, even if you are waiting for claims to become valid or for further benefits decisions. If you stop filing claims, there is a chance that the unemployment benefits system will no longer recognize you as having been approved to receive benefits, and you will no longer be eligible, resulting in the need to reapply.
How to File
How to file your weekly claim will change from state to state. Most states require that individuals file their claims on the same day every week, beginning the week one begins to receive benefits. You will be mailed information pertaining to when you may file, or you will be contacted by a person who will explain the process to you.
Filing is usually contingent upon how you first applied for benefits. If you originally applied for benefits online, chances are your weekly claims will be filed online as well using the identification number you chose during the process. Those who originally apply for benefits over the telephone will often follow an automated phone system to file claims. Some states allow filing from a number of systems, others do not. Filing unemployment weekly claims can be completed with TTY systems for the hearing impaired in certain areas as well.
Required Information
Generally speaking, you should have certain information prepared before filing your weekly unemployment claims, although the process does vary from state to state.
- Your personal identification number or PIN must be handy in order for claims to be filed, as well as a report of any money you made during that week.
- Sometimes, you may be required to enter additional personal information; for example, if your PIN number is the same as your Social Security number.
- A number of questions will be asked of you when you call or go online to file: you may need to fill out information regarding your work search for the week, whether benefits should be discontinued, or if you refused any employment. Any information about employers during that week will also need to be included.
Problems
Sometimes, an emergency may prevent you from filing your claim by a deadline. If you cannot file a claim due to the phone service or internet service being broken, there will often be an alternative filing method provided to you.
A state system will often require you to change your PIN number from time to time-if you forget this number, your representative must be contacted for help. You should also contact your representative if you simply forget to file a claim. Remember, benefits will not be available to you until you do discuss the reason for forgetting to file with a representative.
E-mail and telephone systems often allow for such representatives to be contacted quickly and easily with any problems you may encounter in filing your weekly claim. Should you happen to file a claim that a claims system does not recognize, you will receive a message detailing a gap in filing your claim. Every week you collect unemployment must be accounted for in order for you to continue receiving benefits.
